Sotheby’s Impressionist and Modern Art Sales $148m.

It took only one hour to make 97 million pounds at auction of Impressionist and Modern Art offered by Sotheby’s in London on the eveningsale of June 22. Sotheby’s set a new record for Austrian artist Egon Schiele‘s rare cityscape sold for 24.7 million pounds ($40.1 million). The painting was offered for sale by the Leopold Museum in Vienna to support its activities. The work was painted in 1914 at the height of Schiele’s short career, four years before his death in the Spanish influenza epidemic at the age of 28.

According to the result for the bronze by Giacometti “Three men on the march II” in 1948, despite the relatively small size of 76 centimeters and the fact that they come from an edition of nine specimens: guaranteed by a third party, has been awarded in the room after a short series of raises to 10.7 million pounds, thanks to the commissions within the estimate of 10-15 million pounds.

It must drop to third place to meet the first of only three offered Picasso, the painting “The Basier Couple” of 1969, passed from hand to 6.5 million from an estimate of 5-8 million pounds, while a second Picasso ” Homme a la pipe et nu couche ‘”of 1967 doubled estimates to stop 4.8 million from an estimate of 1.5-2.5 million pounds, after a prolonged battle between the raises at least five dealers in the room including Helly Nahmad Mugrabi and the collector. A similar situation also offered the last of Picasso, a still life during the war, sold over estimate at £ 1 million after several bids from dealers and Mugrabi, went home empty-handed.

But the most interesting of the evening was perhaps “La Dormeuse” by Tamara de Lempicka, awarded to the phone after several raises in the hall, thus establishing a new record for the artist even if very close to the previous year.

New record for a work on paper by Chagall, “Au-dessus de la Ville”, sold for GBP 1.8 million, surpassing the previous value of GBP 1.4 million from that held more than 20 years.
Five total of works on paper offered, all awarded well, often beyond the estimates, including two outstanding works of the greatest surrealist painter, Rene Magritte, a 2.4 million awarded to just below the category record £ 2.5 million The other “Perspective” passed from hand to room within the estimate.
Apart from a painting by Max Ernst (lot 31), remained unsold, the auction confirms the positive moment for the Surrealists.
Positive results for Paul Klee, whose work geometric “Stadtburg Kr” has found a buyer for £ 2.6 million, by the estimate of 2-3 million.